Tuesday, August 01, 2017

The Wages Of Propaganda

A staffer for Democratic Mayor Ed Murray reached out to the Cal Berkeley economics department asking them to rush the release of a study, released in June, that cast a positive light on Seattle’s increased minimum wage ordinance.

The Berkeley study’s findings contradicted those of a then forthcoming University of Washington (UW) study, which found that Seattle’s increased minimum wage had cost low-skill workers $179 per month and hurt employment numbers. Murray’s office also explicitly asked Berkeley economist Michael Reich to remove all mentions of the UW study so as not to aid in its dissemination. (RELATED: CPS Claims Seattle Mayor Sexually Abused His Foster Son 30 Years Ago)

“Leave the critique of the UW study until later,” mayoral staffer Carlo Caldirola-Davis said in an email obtained by the EPI through a public records request. “The release still calls out the UW study. Don’t want your positive news to serve as a teaser for the UW study.”

The obtained email exchange reveal Reich was cooperative, tailoring the content of his study based on requests made by Murray’s office.